


Client-Attorney Privilege

by CommanderCryptic



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Angst, Courtroom Drama, Detectives, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Law Enforcement, Legal Drama, M/M, Murder, Murder Mystery, Romance, Trials, hifumi is a simp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-25 21:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30095217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderCryptic/pseuds/CommanderCryptic
Summary: Hajime Hinata is fresh out of law school and ready to start a new chapter in his life. He begins said chapter at Hope's Peak Law Firm, one of the most elite law firms in all of New York. In order to even stand a chance at Hope's Peak, you’d have to be more than just the best. You’d have to bethe best of the best of the best; the king of all kings!There's just one thing: Hajime Hinata wasnotthe best of the best, nor was he the king of all kings.He was just ordinary.But as it appears, his life is anything but.After accepting a murder case that's next-to-impossible, Hajime finds himself with a little more than what he bargained for.Nevertheless, he didn't justneedto win the case. Against all odds, winning was hisonly option.So, Hajime has two weeks before the trial of Sayaka Maizono's murder where he has to do exactly that.But things take an unexpected turn when Hajime finds himself falling in love with the last person on earth he should be falling in love with:A murder suspect.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Hinata Hajime/Nanami Chiaki, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 42





	1. Prospective

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so this may or may not be my very first Danganronpa fic. As a legal drama enthusiast, I spent quite a lot of time and research on this first part, so whatever amount of traffic I get here determines whether I will continue this.  
> With that being said, please spare a minute out of your day to listen to me beg for your validation.  
>  **PLEASE COMMENT/REVIEW! It really means a lot!**

Ah, Hope’s Peak Law Firm. The most famous legal agency in all of New York. No, probably the world!

And rightfully so. Hope’s Peak wasn’t just any ordinary firm, oh no. Anything but. 

Because, you see, they have  _ very  _ high standards for their employees at this agency. In order to even stand a chance over at Hope’s Peak, you’d have to be more than just the best. You’d have to be the best of the best of the best; the king of all kings! 

But with all that being said, these circumstances were very odd. Extremely odd. Ridiculously odd. 

Because Hajime Hinata was  _ not  _ the best of the best, nor was he the king of all kings. He was just an ordinary man, fresh out of law school. 

Essentially… he was talentless. He didn’t possess extraordinary analytical reasoning or fantastic public speaking skills. 

Hope’s Peak law firm was more than just elite. Everyone on this side of the Atlantic knew who they were, and knew what they wanted: 

Justice. 

Which is exactly why the attorneys at Hope’s Peak were  _ known  _ for their iron-hard persistence. They would do anything—and I mean _anything_ —to get their desired verdict. And, 99.999% of the time, it worked. 

But if Hope’s Peak really was so exclusive… why on earth would they hire someone like Hajime? 

Now, it’s not like his interview went horribly wrong or amazingly well. It was just… average. In-between. Hajime had a strong feeling that the moment he walked into that room, the interviewer was already bored with him. 

Still, there was no denying it. The letter he received in the mail had his name printed on it in bold black letters and was sealed with Hope’s Peak’s emblem. Seriously.  _ An emblem!  _

It was equal parts confusing, exciting, and nerve-wracking. 

Nevertheless, there he was. With a briefcase in his right hand and a brand-new tie around his neck, Hajime Hinata felt like he was ready to take on anything life was going to throw at him. 

_ So… this is Hope’s Peak, huh. _

His gaze traveled up the building—which really looked more like a skyscraper than anything else—and his jaw all but dropped to the ground. 

To say the law firm was just ‘big’ would be the understatement of the century. 

_ Basically the Empire State 2.0,  _ Hajime mused as he continued to gawk. 

“Get a move on, kid. No loitering ‘round here,” a gruff voice ordered. 

Hinata quickly turned around, finding out the voice belonged to a tall, wild-haired security guard with a pissed-off expression on his face. The shiny gold label on his chest read ‘Hagakure,’ and he was pointing at the sign that—unsurprisingly enough—had the words ‘NO LOITERING’ written on it.

“A-Actually, I work here,” Hajime replied with a stutter.  _ Or at least I think I do!  _

Hagakure looked him up and down, obviously not very convinced. “Really, now? From what I’ve seen, you’re only allowed in there if your outfit’s worth more than 1,000 bucks. And from what I can see right now...” He smirked. “You don’t really fit that bill.” 

Hajime scoffed, a bit of sarcasm leaking from his voice. “Well, takes one to know one, yeah? Besides, I’ve got my acceptance letter right here…”

“Acceptance letter?” Hagakure laughed outright. “What is this, Hogwarts?”

“Might as well be.” 

“Haha, you’re a funny guy, aren’t you? But here’s some advice…” Hagakure looked to his left and his right as if someone might have been watching. “Once you’re in there, you should keep your mouth shut. They don’t tolerate arrogance unless you’ve actually done anything to warrant it, or so I’ve heard. Just be careful, m’kay?” 

“Got it.”

And with that, Hagakure was gone, leaving Hajime alone with only his thoughts to keep him company.

Hajime bit his lip, his grip on the briefcase tightening. 

_ Was he telling the truth?  _

_ Argh! If anything, I should know! As a lawyer… my job is to see through all the lies! _

He shook his head as if the action could clear it out. 

_ At any rate… I should just stay cautious. I have a feeling the people at Hope’s Peak won’t take well to someone as average as me joining their firm.  _

Hajime took a glance at his watch and cursed under his breath. He’d wasted far too much time with the internal monologue, and now it was almost 9:00! 

He couldn’t dawdle anymore. There was no time to waste! 

_ Well…  _ Hajime took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.  _ Here goes.  _

“Welcome! I’m so glad you were able to make it!”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. Well, this certainly was unexpected. 

The other man extended his hand and grinned. “Makoto Naegi. A pleasure to meet you!”

Hajime accepted the handshake and mirrored Naegi’s smile (it was practically contagious.) “Likewise. I’m—”

“Hajime Hinata, right?”

Hajime nodded. As bubbly as Naegi was, he certainly knew his stuff. “Right.” 

“Anyway, I’m a junior partner here. I’ve been with Hope’s Peak for about… six years, now?”

“Seven.” The door suddenly opened, revealing a lavender-haired woman with a stack of files in her arms. “It’s been seven years, Makoto.” 

“Ah, of course! How could I forget?” Naegi chuckled a little, the slightest bit of blush dusting his cheeks. 

The woman faced Hajime, meeting eye contact with him unwaveringly. “You’re the new hire, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hajime responded quickly, adding in the last part instinctively. This woman—whoever she was—just  _ radiated  _ authority! 

The ghost of a smile appeared on the woman’s face. “I’m Kyoko Kirigiri. Or… Naegi, in a few months, I suppose.” 

Hajime noticed the matching engagement rings on the other pair’s hands and quickly put two-and-two together. “O-Oh, congratulations! I didn’t know you two were—”

“I don’t blame you. Besides, we’ve been putting off the wedding for quite some time,” Kirigiri said. 

_ Do all super-elite lawyers always interrupt people? _

Makoto nodded along. “Yep. The cases have been piling up like crazy, lately. I… I know that’s a good thing, but it’s getting super tiring.” 

“Mhmm. Now, back to the topic at hand…” Kirigiri placed (or, to put it more accurately, dropped) the files onto the table. “Your employment, Mr. Hinata.” 

“Yes?”

Kirigiri sifted through one of the folders and removed a piece of paper from it. She set the paper aside, revealing that it was a diagram of what Hajime assumed was Hope’s Peak’s department business model. “You’ll be starting off as an associate,” she said, pointing at the bubble at the very bottom of the ranks. 

Hajime’s shoulders sank slightly. It’s not like Kirigiri’s declaration was unfair or groundless. After all, it was only natural that a new hire would be given only a minor role within the firm’s hierarchy. 

It stung a little, but he really had no room to complain.

_ I’m only here because of some miracle. A stroke of luck.  _

_ As for right now, I’m not entitled to anything.  _

“Understood,” Hajime said. 

“You’re lucky, Hinata. Makoto’s in charge of the associates. But if it were me, well let’s just say…” Kirigiri tilted her chin, a lock of light-colored hair falling to the side of her face. “I’d be working you all to the bone.” 

Sweat began to form on Hajime’s eyebrow and a fit of nervous laughter rose from her chest. “I-I’m glad! But either way, I’ll make sure to do my best!” 

Makoto flashed him a thumbs-up, the beam ever-present on his face. “That’s exactly what I like to hear!” 

Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of euphoria washed over Hajime. It injected excitement into his veins, making him feel like he could fly. 

Hope’s Peak really was a fitting name. At that moment… Hajime was  _ blinded  _ by hope. He was drowning in it. 

It was like he was a new person entirely. 

_ If I play my cards right, I won’t be a talentless nobody anymore! _

_ I can… I can be somebody!  _

In such a cutthroat, competitive place like New York City, only the smartest, fastest, and strongest would survive. 

So, Hajime Hinata had made up his mind:

He was going to be one of the best lawyers in Hope’s Peak history. 

* * *

_ Easier said than done, huh?  _

Being the best lawyer at Hope’s Peak would need a little more than just a pep-talk and hard work. 

He needed  _ connections.  _ Confidantes. 

So, Hajime concluded that the first order of business would be to make some allies, which is precisely what put him in this scenario. 

“You sure do like gambling, don’t you?” Hajime asked awkwardly. 

The woman—who had just introduced herself as Celestia Ludenberg—briefly glanced up from her game of online solitaire. “It is a hobby of mine, yes.” 

Hajime’s eyebrow twitched. 

_ Just a hobby?!  _ Ludenberg had spent the last fifteen minutes playing card games on her computer, from what he had observed! 

“That’s… interesting,” Hajime remarked blandly, finding it incredibly difficult to hold a conversation with Ludenberg. When she wasn’t completely ignoring him, she was offering up bland, vague responses as answers. 

“Hey! You better treat Madam Celestia with a lot more respect!” 

Standing right beside Ludenberg was a man who was… very overweight, to say the least. A pair of circular glasses sat on his face, obscuring his eyes although Hajime assumed they were narrowed in anger. 

“Ugh, I forgot. newbies like you don’t know the first thing about respect!” the stranger added, his tone accusatory. 

Hajime thought back to what Hagakure told him earlier. It seemed to be accurate, more-or-less. 

“I was just trying to make conversation,” Hajime insisted. He wasn’t about to back down from this, no way! Especially because he obviously meant no disrespect when approaching Ludenberg. 

“Hm… fine, whatever. I’ll let you off the hook, but just this once!” the stranger warned. 

“So, then. Since I’m a… pathetic little newbie, would you mind giving me the privilege of your name?” Hajime asked. 

“Good! You finally know your place!” the stranger exclaimed, obviously failing to notice the sarcasm in Hajime’s remark. “I am the great Hifumi Yamada! Second-year associate by day, ultimate fanfiction creator by night!” 

_ More like ‘Ultimate White Knight.’  _

_ Also, who spends their nights writing fanfiction? Honestly, it’s a little sad.  _

“My name’s Hajime Hinata.” Hajime clasped both hands behind his back, not very ecstatic about the idea of shaking hands with Yamada. After all, who knows where those hands have been?

Thankfully, Yamada seemed to be ignoring him too, instead choosing to devote 100% of his attention to Ludenberg. 

“Madam Celestia, do you need anything? A martini, perhaps?” 

“No, thank you,” Celestia assured. “Besides, alcoholic beverages are prohibited in these offices.” 

“I would happily get arrested if it means I can serve you, Madame!” 

Hajime fought the urge to roll his eyes at the exchange. What kind of lawyer is willing to break the law just for the sake of kissing up to a better-than-average-looking woman?

This lawyer was, apparently. 

“I, uh, think I’m going to go now,” Hajime said before he began to make his departure. 

The results of his little excursion were… alright. While he probably didn’t make the best impressions on Ludenberg and Yamada, he had managed to meet some of the nicer associates, like Aoi Asahina (who used to be an Olympic swimmer) and Ishimaru Kiyotaka (who claimed to serve as Hope’s Peak’s ‘moral compass,’ whatever that meant.) 

Now, it was time to settle down in his cubicle… if you could even call it that. 

The associates’ space was basically just one large room with desks only separated by thin walls of semi-transparent glass. 

Other than the latest desktop model, Hajime’s area was empty. A clean slate, essentially. 

But, judging from what Makoto had told him about the work overflow, Hajime had a feeling his desk wouldn’t stay so neat for so long. 

Hajime placed the briefcase on the desk’s cherry-wood surface and sat down on the swivel chair. 

He briefly contemplated taking his phone out, only to be interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. 

“Excuse me.”

Hajime turned his neck to see who the person was, and—

_ Oh.  _

Well, this was… an interesting development. 

“O-Oh, hey there,” Hajime stammered. 

“Hello, I’m Chiaki Nanami. Your desk is right next to mine, so I thought I’d introduce myself or… something like that.” 

“Then, my name’s Hajime Hinata.” 

_ Chiaki Nanami, huh?  _ Hajime pressed that name into his mind, determined to not let himself forget, because  _ wow,  _ she was beautiful. 

_ Maybe ‘cute’ is the better word.  _

Though her appearance was professional, (as were everyone else’s, given the setting) Chiaki wore a small pixelated hairpin in her pinkish-blonde locks. It looked like something straight out of a video game. 

An unconventional choice for a hair accessory, maybe, but Hajime thought it suited her quite well. 

An awkward silence stretched over the two. It lasted a while before Chiaki eventually broke it. 

“You’re new to this, right?”

Hajime sighed and gave a lopsided smile. 

_ Damn it! She could tell?  _

But he was at least glad she wasn’t acting like Yamada upon discovering his secret that apparently wasn’t a secret at all. 

“That obvious?”

“Sort of. But I won’t hold it against you, or anything. Just… don’t listen to what the others say,” Chiaki urged. “If anything, you being here is remarkable. You must be pretty good at what you do.”

“Y-Yep…”

_ Pretty good. Right.  _

Hajime’s heart swelled at the praise. It was nice, but somehow he felt like he needed to actually accomplish something to be worth it. He needed to actually  _ be  _ ‘pretty good’ at what he did and more. 

“Well, I’ll be right over there,” Chiaki said as she went back over to her desk. “If you need help or anything, you can just ask, okay?” 

“Okay,” Hajime responded. “Thanks.” 

He turned around in his seat and faced the desktop’s screen. It was black, only showing him his own reflection. 

_ Naegi told me to start setting up my accounts and files on this computer, so I might as well get to it.  _

So, Hajime spent the next 30-45 minutes messing around with (and, simultaneously, getting very angry at) his new computer. It really shouldn’t have taken that long, but he just wasn’t used to the unfamiliar software and setup (or, at least, that’s the excuse Hajime gave when Chiaki asked if he was doing alright.) 

And, finally, he had finished. He felt very accomplished, despite doing virtually nothing. 

All the other associates seemed to pay him no mind. They were hunched over their respective desks, like they were in their own little world. 

_ Must be a crunch time of some sort.  _

Hajime leaned back a little in his chair, his hands laced behind his head. 

_ It probably won’t be long before someone comes up to me and— _

“Hinata!”

Hajime immediately jumped, his drooping eyes snapping wide open. It was Naegi. And, although the junior partner appeared docile enough, he was still his boss. “Y-Yes?”

“I know this is your first day at the firm, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to assign you a case.” 

Suddenly, Hajime was 100% alert. 

“A case?”

“Yes.”

_ Whoa. This only ever happens in the movies. I mean, I get that they’re in a pinch right now, but handing a case over to an amateur like me is bound to cause trouble.  _

_ Not that I’m complaining, or anything!  _

_ I’m getting a piece of the action, right away! _

“We’ve already given all the pending cases to the other associates,” Naegi explained. Suddenly, an anxious expression fell over his face. “All but… one.”

“I take it that you’re going to give me that case, aren’t you?”

Naegi nodded, his eyebrows still furrowed and his lower lip was busted from what was most-likely relentless biting. “Yes…”

Hajime frowned. Something wasn’t right. With the way Naegi was acting, he would’ve thought somebody died. “Why did nobody else want it?” 

“Well, I’m not certain they  _ made a point  _ to avoid the case, but—”

_ They did, didn’t they?  _

Naegi continued. “Given the provided information and evidence, many of them think the case is unwinnable. Impossible.”

Hearing those words come from Naegi’s mouth was a little off-putting. 

_ Come on, this is Hope’s Peak law firm, isn’t it? No case is impossible!  _

Hajime felt the need to say these things, but he held them back. 

“If the case is supposedly ‘unwinnable,’ can’t we just turn the client down?”

Naegi sighed and rubbed his temples. “That’s the thing, Hinata…  _ we can’t _ .”    
“W-What?!” Hajime sputtered. “Why not?”

“You see, this specific client is very powerful. The amount he’s offering us to take up his case is…” Naegi trailed off, then spoke again. “A fortune.” 

Hinata’s mouth formed a small ‘o.’ “Wow,” he said simply. “That’s… we have to do this, don’t we?”

“Hinata, I’m sorry, but we can’t right now.” 

Hajime raised an eyebrow, visibly confused.  _ Isn’t he just contradicting himself?  _

“We can’t take this case. But…” Naegi made firm eye contact with Hajime. “ _ You can _ .” 

“I…” Hajime tried to speak but felt his mind go blank and his mouth go dry. If this client—whoever they were—was really  _ that  _ important, he just  _ had  _ to accept the case! 

_ But what will happen if I lose?  _

The question echoed ominously in Hajime’s mind, a question that he knew the answer to. 

And it wasn’t pretty. 

“I just started working here, Naegi… are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Honestly? It’s not necessarily the best plan we’ve made. But right now, it’s the only plan. So…”

_ It’s the only plan.  _

_ It’s the only way.  _

Those words that Hajime had pushed down had finally resurfaced. And they were coming out of his mouth at record speed. 

_ This is an opportunity. I can’t blow it!  _

“I’ll do it,” Hajime said resolutely. “I’ll take the case.” 

* * *

“You’re very ambitious, Hinata. I must say, I’m quite impressed,” Kirigiri commented. 

Currently, Hajime was in a little consultation with Kirigiri regarding the so-called ‘impossible case’ that had been assigned to him. 

He was about to smile and accept Kirigiri’s compliment with no further consideration until a concern popped into his mind.

He’d only known Kirigiri for less than 24 hours, but he could tell that she wasn’t the type to be impressed easily, nor would she give out compliments like candy canes.

And there’s only one thing that could mean, of course. 

“This…” Hajime gestured to the case file sitting on the tabletop. “This isn’t gonna be easy, is it?”

Kirigiri shrugged. “Never said it was. But, I’ll admit, I looked through the file for a little while before telling Makoto to release it to the associates, and I can tell the defense is going to be a tough role to play.” 

Hajime grimaced. Even  _ Kirigiri  _ thought it was impossible?! Well, she didn’t explicitly say so, but something told him that she was implying it. 

_ No,  _ he told himself.  _ I haven’t even glanced at that file yet, I can’t jump to conclusions.  _

_ There’s still a chance. If this case—whatever the hell it is—truly is unwinnable, then we would never have taken it. No matter how much money’s on the table, Hope’s Peak doesn’t accept cases they can’t win.  _

So, with that reasoning in mind, Hajime pressed his lips into a determined line and picked up the file. 

Although, it’s not like he was 100% confident in his decisions, either. Therefore, Hajime brought up a concern he had already mentioned in his conversation with Naegi back at the associates’ area. 

“Ms. Kirigiri, a-are you fine with leaving this to someone like me? I’m just a first-year associate, I’m a little worried that—”

Kirigiri silenced him by holding up her index finger. “I know. You’re worried that you’re not good enough, and you’re going to lose,” she said, practically reading her mind. “And, let me be honest with you: there’s a likely chance that you  _ will  _ lose. And if you do, you're going to lose  _ big.  _ It’ll be all over before it even starts.” 

Hajime frowned and moved his hand to adjust his tie.  _ Is this her idea of a pep-talk?! _

“But, on the flip side: if you win, it’ll be the best thing that ever happened to you. Not only will you have winning one of the toughest cases in legal history under your belt, but you’ll be able to kick-start your reputation as well,” Kirigiri continued. “Essentially, this can make or break your entire career. If you’re willing to take that risk, by all means, continue. However, I advise you to put careful consideration into this decision.” 

_ Make or break my entire career?  _

_ It’s like a double-down.  _

Hajime felt a seed of doubt plant itself into his brain. It was almost about to sprout, until something he remembered from his previous conversation with Naegi. 

_ I told him I’d do it. I told him I’d take that case, no questions asked.  _

_ I can’t go back on my word!  _

“I…” Hajime picked the file up from the table. “I think I’ve come to a decision.”

He noticed Kirigiri’s eyebrows raised inquisitively—or was that surprise? Either way, the woman probably didn’t expect Hajime to be so insistent about taking on the case.

“I see,” Kirigiri said quietly. “Then, in that case, I’ll leave you to it. You’re dismissed.”

Hajime nodded and muttered a quick goodbye before making his exit. 

Halfway through the doorway, Hajime caught one last word from Kirigiri. 

“Hinata?”

“Yes?”

Kirigiri smiled—somewhat of an odd sight, though it was a good kind of odd. “Good luck.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Intrigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiaki glanced up at him for a moment. “Wow, Hajime. You kind of look like a video game protagonist right now.” 
> 
> Hajime blushed and swiftly shrunk out of the pose in embarrassment. He was being pretty dramatic, huh? 
> 
> “Hey, it’s alright. Go ahead and channel your inner Phoenix Wright, don’t let me stop you.” 
> 
> Hajime chuckled a little nervously and started to make his exit. “Of course.” 

Research.

Research, research, and more research.

That’s all what being a lawyer was, essentially.

At that point, Hajime was able to realize exactly why the media tended to exclude this part of the process. What he could gather from legal dramas led him to the conclude that all lawyers did was object to every statement made in court, argue, and win the trial, all while looking totally badass. Now that Hajime was an actual lawyer, he deduced that this conclusion couldn’t be more wrong.

He rubbed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. Upon taking a glance at the time in the bottom right corner of his laptop, Hajime confirmed that it was, indeed, very late. 3:25 AM, to be precise.

_ First day in, and I’m already pulling an all-nighter.  _ Hajime laughed humorlessly.  _ Fantastic.  _

Evidently, he’d been at it for a while. From the moment he got back home to now, Hajime had been examining the case file and investigating to the very best of his ability.

Granted… he wasn’t certain that ‘the best of his ability would be able to guarantee success. 

Far from it, actually. Hajime had gone over the file over and over again. He  _ could  _ have looked through it once more, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t make the case any less confusing. 

_ Something about this…  _ Hajime pinpointed a specific paragraph on the very first page of the files—the exact point where things took a turn (most likely for the worse.)  _ Something about this doesn’t quite add up.  _

Hajime twiddled his pen between his fingers, trying (and failing) to talk it all out. While on his quest to determine what the hell was going on with this case, he decided to write out key information about the case into his journal—which was  **_not_ ** , by any means, a diary—to sort out his thought process. 

_ But most of all…  _ Hajime clenched both fists, feeling the overwhelming urge to slam his head against the wall.  _ How am I supposed to defend this guy?!  _

* * *

**CASE 01**

Victim- Sayaka Maizono, murdered on October 14th. (She was an up-and-coming pop idol, right?) Cause of death was poisoning—maybe something in her drink? Time of death was about 12:03 AM. 

Crime scene- The Devil’s Turnabout (a bar.) After the murder became public, its image was basically ruined. They’re closed, for now. Not sure if it’s temporary. 

Suspect: Nagito Komaeda. _ (I swear, I’ve heard of him before… some time, somewhere… I just can’t really remember.)  _

Evidence: There’s a witness who was at the bar and claims to have seen exactly what went down that night. Komaeda doesn’t necessarily have an alibi, which might support this claim. 

Investigation results: Apparently, the private detective Shuichi Saihara was hired to investigate the murder. And, guess what? The investigation basically came up dry!

* * *

There was just too little information. Hajime supposed that it  _ might  _ be a good thing, considering that there must not have been too much evidence to prove Komaeda’s guilt, either. But, still! He couldn’t make much sense of what happened that night, and the trial was set to take place on November 1st. 

_ Two weeks,  _ Hajime told himself.  _ I’ve only got two weeks to figure this all out!  _

Not only did he have to prove Komaeda’s innocence (who most likely already looked very suspicious in the public eye,) but he also had to solve the mystery of Maizono’s murder on top of that. 

_ If even someone like Saihara can’t crack it…  _ A frustrated groan escaped from his throat.  _ How am I supposed to?!  _

It felt like the walls were closing in on him. It felt like everything was already over. 

_ Over before it even starts. _

His heart sank. Nausea tossed the contents of his stomach, making him feel sick—literally  _ and  _ figuratively. 

_ Damn it all…  _

_ Have I just bitten off more than I can chew?  _

Accepting the case seemed like the right idea, then and there. After all, who wouldn’t want to take on one of the biggest murder mysteries of all time? 

But in the heat of the moment, Hajime was temporarily blind to the possibility that the details of the case would be vague—almost ridiculously so—and winning would be basically out of the question. 

_ Me from the past is an idiot. Even if it’s only been 12 hours.  _

Hajime stared at his notes, his lips pursed tightly together. What he had written wasn’t anything new, his theories weren’t anything revolutionary. 

_ Maybe I’m just not cut out for this, after all.  _

Hajime closed his laptop shut and slid it off his lap. His eyelids felt heavy, like they weighed 1,000 pounds. 

_ I’ll worry about it later.  _

_ Two weeks is plenty of time.  _

So, Hajime stumbled into his bedroom and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. 

* * *

It felt like the night lasted a second long. Before Hajime knew it, it was already morning. 

He lifted his face that had been squashed into the pillow slowly, the sunlight from the window frying his retinas and sending sharp waves of pain through his head. 

The time was 8:21 AM. Hajime wished he could close the blinds, crawl back under the covers, and return to his peaceful sleep. But, unfortunately, he had a job to do. 

Hajime threw the covers aside hastily, only to catch his reflection in the mirror and realize he was wearing an incredibly rumpled three-piece suit. 

He had slept in his clothes. Fantastic. 

After getting ready in record time, Hajime shoved the case file in his briefcase, put on his shoes, and left his apartment in a hurry.

* * *

45 anxious minutes later, Hajime arrived at Hope’s Peak. As always, the building towered over everyone and everything around it.

“Hey, you’re back!” a familiar voice said. 

_ It’s him again.  _

Standing in front of him was Hagakure, although this time he was with another officer. 

The stranger was buff (almost comically so) with chains draped around his neck like a necklace. 

“Oh, that’s my buddy Nidai. He’s basically the manager of the security detail,” Hagakure said, noticing Hajime staring at the buff man. “Say hello, Nidai!”   
Nidai shook his head, his teeth gritted together in tension. “I would, but I am being hit by the sudden urge to SHIIIIIIIIT!”

_ What an… interesting choice of vocabulary. _

“H-Hi,” Hajime greeted. “But I have to ask… why did you doubt that I  _ wouldn’t  _ come back?”

Hagakure laughed and clapped Hajime on the shoulder. “It’s a shark tank in there. I was  _ sure  _ you’d get eaten right away!” 

Hajime cracked a joyless smile. “Wow, thank you  _ so  _ much. I truly appreciate your words of kindness.” 

“No problem, man! Always here to help!” Hagakure responded cheerfully. 

Hajime rolled his eyes. “How about you actually do your job? That’ll be plenty helpful, I’m sure.” 

Suddenly, Hajime was pushed by someone (though it was no secret that the ‘someone’ was Hagakure.) He let out a yelp and stumbled a few steps towards the entrance. 

“I’ll do my job if you’ll do yours!” Hajime heard Hagakure call out. 

Hajime felt a sarcastic counter form on the tip of his tongue, but he held it back. 

_ I guess he does have a point there.  _

He sighed and extended his free hand to the door handle. 

_ Day two.  _

_ Here we go again. _

* * *

“You’re taking the Komaeda case?” 

“Yeah...” Hajime slumped and rested his cheek on his right palm. “I’m  _ trying _ , anyway.” 

Chiaki hummed and turned back to her desk. “That’s cool. I hope you’ll do well at court.”    
Ultimately, she decided to just mind her own business, to which Hajime was actually quite satisfied. He really didn’t need a third person telling him just how difficult the Komaeda case was—he could easily figure that out just by reading through it. 

The night before, Hajime decided to just temporarily give up and sleep on it in the hopes that he’d be able to make better progress the next morning. But, as it turned out, nothing had changed. 

His written notes were still there, though he didn’t even know why he bothered bringing them. They did nothing but just restate the facts, albeit with slightly different wording. 

_ Maybe… I can try again? There are no explanations for lots of things in this case, but there’s no harm in hypothesizing.  _

_ A timeline might be helpful, too.  _

Hajime flipped the paper and wearily brought the tip of his pen to the blank side. 

* * *

??? PM: Victim, Suspect, and Witness enter the Devil’s Turnabout, most likely all at different times and before midnight. 

??? to approximately 11:58 PM: Someone drugs Sayaka’s drink. (This is odd, though. How could someone poison her drink without her noticing??? That leads me to suspect the bartender, but he hasn’t said anything so far. I don’t think he’ll even testify as a witness at the trial, either.) 

12:03 AM: Sayaka Maizono dies from poisoning. It’s most likely a poison pill, as it must have been something that could have easily dissolved without anyone noticing right away. (Makes the bartender even more suspicious, if you ask me.) The autopsy said her death was not sudden. 

CONCLUSION:

The bartender is very shady. He’s the only one I think might be the actual murderer, if not Komaeda. There’s also the witness… but I can only find out for sure just how accurate the witness’s testimony is at the trial. 

* * *

Hajime examined his handiwork, satisfied that he was able to get at least somewhere with the given information. Granted, that ‘somewhere’ might just be the wrong location altogether, but hey, it was a start. 

A figurative lightbulb flashed above his head. 

_ If they don’t give me enough information, I should just look for it myself! _

While they certainly didn’t have as much authority in the forensics realm as detectives, defense attorneys  _ did  _ have the full rights to investigate.

Hajime stuffed the paper and practically-useless case file into his briefcase—which he wasn’t required to have, but he just felt more official holding it—and rose from his seat, his stance broad and his hands placed firmly on his hips. 

Chiaki glanced up at him for a moment. “Wow, Hajime. You kind of look like a video game protagonist right now.” 

Hajime blushed and swiftly shrunk out of the pose in embarrassment. He was being pretty dramatic, huh? 

“Hey, it’s alright. Go ahead and channel your inner Phoenix Wright, don’t let me stop you.” 

Hajime chuckled a little nervously and started to make his exit. “Of course.” 

The Devil’s Turnabout was an obscure bar in lower Queens. The exterior was nothing noteworthy—just another storefront among rows of storefronts. The only detail possibly worth noting was the bright yellow ‘CRIME SCENE - DO NOT CROSS’ tape barricading the door. 

But no matter what the tape said, there was no way Hajime was turning back. He had gotten permission from Naegi, driven for a solid 30 minutes, and blown 0.74 gallons of gas on the way. 

_ This is it.  _

Although he had clearance as Komaeda’s defense attorney, he still felt a little hesitant to push past the crime scene tape and enter the bar. Perhaps it was just his… civilian instincts. Right, that had to have been it. 

The moment he entered, he was bombarded with questions. 

“Who are you?” 

“Why are you here?”

“You  _ do _ know that this establishment is closed, right?” 

Hajime held up a finger to interrupt the chain of interrogation. “I’m, er, a lawyer, sir. And it’s kind of my job to be here, so…” 

The person quirked an eyebrow bemusedly, though it was mostly hidden by the black baseball cap he had on. “And I’m a detective. It’s my job to ask the questions.” 

_ He seems pretty damn serious about his career. And, probably everything else, too.  _

Suddenly, it hit him. Hajime’s eyes widened in realization. 

“You’re—”    
“Shuichi Saihara, yes. You must be Komaeda’s attorney.” 

Saihara might have said something else, or he might have not. Either way, Hajime was too starstruck by the fact that the famous detective was standing right in front of him. 

_ Argh! Get it together! Of course he’d be here, he’s the one officially investigating this god-forsaken case!  _

Hajime cleared his throat. “Yeah, I am. There’s a lot that was excluded from the case file, and it states that your investigation didn’t provide any conclusive answer to the mystery.” 

Saihara’s typically neutral facial expression was distorted by a frown. “...is that so?” The frown deepened further as the gears continued to turn in his head. 

Hajime shifted his weight from one side to the other, not exactly sure what he was supposed to do and more importantly, what could have triggered such a reaction from Saihara. 

Suddenly, the silence was interrupted by a growl. More specifically, a growl that came from Saihara. 

It seemed rather uncharacteristic of him. If anything, Saihara struck Hajime as a timid sort-of person who would only dare to challenge another person if he knew for sure what they were saying was obviously wrong. 

“Is everything okay?” Hajime asked. 

“Not really. Because, regardless of whatever the case files are saying…” Saihara reached up and grabbed the brim of his hat, tipping it slightly upwards so he could see better. “I’m onto something.”

Hajime’s pulse quickened.  _ He knows? He’s got it cracked?  _ “Really?”

“Well, it’s more speculation than solid proof. I have my suspicions, but I don’t have anything to back it up,” Saihara explained. “On top of that… there’s still gaps in the story. I’m having some trouble connecting the dots, you know? Like, figuring out how and in what order the events progressed.” 

Hajime nodded along. 

_ He must have interviewed the witness, too! If he knows what their testimony will be like, I could find out, too!  _

“I totally understand. But you seem to know more than me about this, so maybe you could…?”

Saihara shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I’m only allowed to give you the facts,” he said. “I’m not supposed to assist either side. If I did, that would make me biased.” 

_ Damn it! I was so close!  _

Hajime clenched his palms into fists. 

_ It’s… whatever. If Saihara was able to at least make a few guesses from the facts as he knows them, I should learn those facts, too.  _

“I see. Then, would you mind showing me some more evidence, besides the witness?” Hajime requested. 

Thankfully, Saihara nodded. “Yes, I think I’m able to do that for you,” he confirmed. “Get out a pen and paper, because I’m going to tell you all of this once and only once.” 

Hajime quickly scrambled to retrieve the loose sheet of paper from his briefcase and pen. 

_ He wastes no time, huh? Still, I’m glad I can finally add more to this thing…  _

His eyes traveled down the ¼ full page. 

_ Whatever it is.  _

“According to the passerby, the suspect was the first out of the three involved to enter the bar at around 11:42 PM. The witness arrived shortly after at 11:44. The victim was the last to arrive at 11:46,” Saihara stated. “What exactly the suspect was doing in the bar before the other two arrived is unknown.” 

Hajime wrote everything down as fast as he could manage, exempting not even one detail from the report. Because, who knew? Maybe that one detail could be what would let him win the trial.

“Then, according to the bartender, this trio ordered their drinks at the same time, which is presumably a couple minutes after the victim arrived. Vodka for the suspect, whiskey for the witness, and wine for the victim.” 

Hajime perked up at the mention of the bartender. So, like the witness, he must have already spoken to Shuichi earlier. Interesting.

_ I still don’t know if the bartender will be testifying, but I suppose I could just pull out a subpoena if necessary.  _

Hajime updated his notes to account for what Saihara had just said. 

_ Vodka, whiskey, and wine.  _

_ Maybe something to note is that vodka and whiskey are transparent, while wine isn’t. It’s rather opaque, which further presses the idea that a pill was dissolved in the drink. Because even if the pill  _ **_didn’t_ ** _ dissolve completely, Sayaka or anyone else for that matter wouldn’t be able to tell.  _

Hajime gave himself a mental pat-on-the-back for actually noticing something relevant, wrote this observation down, and continued to listen to Saihara’s account. 

“The bartender pours the drinks and gives them to the three right after they order. They converse some—mostly just small-talk. A little while passes, and the victim says she needs to go to the bathroom. After she comes back, she claims she doesn’t feel very well. Then, the suspect suggests she has a glass of water. But, right at that moment, a loud noise is heard from the back. The bartender immediately leaves briefly to see what happened,” Saihara continued. 

That detail in particular set up a red flag in Hajime’s mind. 

“A noise?” Hajime prodded. 

“Yes,” Saihara affirmed. “It was actually—”

**_“My beloved Saihara, you’re finally back!”_ **

Hajime flinched at the sudden interruption; an interruption made by a loud and childish voice he didn’t recognize.

Saihara sighed, visibly annoyed. “Yes, I’m back. But please remember, this is solely for investigative purposes.” 

“Of course I know that!” The stranger laughed—a very strange laugh—and grinned. He then turned to face Hajime. “Oh, I know you!”

That was weird. Because Hajime  _ definitely  _ didn’t know him. 

“You do?”

The stranger nodded. “Yeah! Third grade, remember? We didn’t talk much, but we were on the same team when we played basketball at recess!” 

Hajime tilted his head and raised one eyebrow, very confused. 

_ Maybe he’s mistaken me for someone else…?  _

“Just ignore him, for the time being,” Shuichi advised. “He has a tendency to lie about anything and everything for no particular reason. And don’t worry, you’ve never met before. That’s another lie.”

“Aw, classic Mr. Detective! You always figure me out!” 

_ Phew, I don’t have dementia! This person… _

Hajime looked the stranger up and down. 

_ Kid? He’s only 5 feet tall, but his voice…  _

_ Ah, forget it. This person’s just joking around.  _

“So, uh, what’s your name?” Hajime asked, as it was getting very tiring calling this person ‘stranger’ in his mind. 

“Kokichi Ouma.” The person—supposedly named Kokichi—grinned, showing off both sets of teeth. “I’m the supreme leader of this hellish place! Bow down to me!” 

Hajime tapped Saihara on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper. “Was that a lie?”

Saihara shrugged. “Partially. That’s his name, but he’s more of a manager than a supreme leader.” 

_ Another potential witness, maybe?  _

Hajime added the new name to his notes. 

_ But if Kokichi lies all the time, they probably won’t have him testify. They can’t rely on a wild card like him to say more than a sentence unless he’s hooked up to a polygraph.  _

“Anyway, as I was saying, Ouma reports ‘accidentally’ knocking over a row of glasses at about…” Saihara glanced at Ouma expectantly.    
“11:53 PM!” Ouma answered, completing Saihara’s sentence. He looked sure about this fact, so it was safe to assume that it wasn’t a lie. 

“So, that’s the noise the bartender heard?” Hajime asked. 

“Yes. That fact has been confirmed from Ouma, the witness, and the bartender,” Saihara said. “As well as the suspect.” 

_ The suspect…?  _

Hajime’s eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as the realization came to light.    
“You’ve already talked to Komaeda?!” 

Hajime knew didn’t have the right to be so surprised. Detectives  _ were  _ allowed to interview suspects. However, the fact that Saihara had been able to speak with Komaeda before Hajime—who was Komaeda’s  _ defense,  _ for god’s sake—really did irk him. 

“Don’t act so surprised. I had to in order to get everyone’s side of the story,” Saihara justified a-matter-of-factly. 

_ The perks of being a detective.  _

_ But he’s not wrong.  _

Hajime then made a mental note to himself: 

_ The moment I’m done here, I better find Komaeda and get some answers out of him.  _

Saihara cleared his throat, interrupting the silence. “After hearing the crash, the bartender leaves the main area to see what happened. He’s gone for a few minutes before coming back and filling a glass of water for the victim as per the suspect’s suggestion. He gives the glass to her, and, well... “ A grim look passes over his face. “You know the rest.” 

“I see.” Hajime set down his pen and wrung out his cramped hand. It ached like hell, but it was only a small price to pay for knowledge. “Saihara, thank you so much. You’ve been a big help.” 

“What about me?” Ouma demanded, a thumb jabbed at his own chest. “I helped too, right?” 

Saihara sighed, a small, tired smile forming on his face. “Yes, I’m sure you have.” 

Ouma said something in response, though Hajime wasn’t listening. He was too distracted by the sudden, telltale  _ DING  _ coming from his phone. 

_ A new text message?  _

He unlocked the phone, curious as to who would be texting him right in the middle of the workday.

* * *

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Hello. _

* * *

Hajime furrowed his brows. Who was this person? Why were they texting him? And, most importantly—

* * *

_ YOU: How did you get my number? _

_ YOU: Who is this?  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Someone. But you don’t have to be scared, I’m not a murderer or something.  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Unfortunately, not everyone believes that anymore. _

* * *

Hajime should have been concerned, and confused. Which, he definitely was, but there was no denying that there was a certain part of him that was rather intrigued by these anonymous texts. 

It was like a puzzle. 

And he wanted to solve it. 

_ ‘Murderer…’ _

_ ‘Not everyone believes…’  _

_ Could this be…? _

* * *

_ YOU: You’re dancing around the question.  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Ah, but you’re interested now, aren’t you? _

* * *

Could this stranger read Hajime’s mind?!

* * *

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Got you! Haha!  _

_ YOU: Whatever. If you don't answer my question in the next five minutes, I’ll just block this number.  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: There’s a lot more where that came from, and I don’t intend on humoring you. Then… _

* * *

And that was it. Those moving three dots disappeared, indicating that the sender was no longer typing. 

_ That’s it?! Just a goddamn ellipses, seriously? They just… left me hanging like that without any response?  _

Hajime felt like a teenage girl whose favorite drama series was left at a cliff-hanger. Uncertainty… it wasn’t a very pleasant feeling by any means. 

_ Whatever. It’s probably just some obnoxious joke.  _

Hajime glared at the phone screen for a few seconds before slipping it back into his pocket. 

* * *

“Back already?” Chiaki asked. 

Hajime tossed the briefcase onto the desk and nodded. “Yep. The detective made things a lot easier on me,” he reported. “Not that it guarantees a win, or anything like that.” 

“That’s still pretty good,” Chiaki insisted. “Any leads so far?” 

“Not really. I’m planning on talking to the suspect, soon,” Hajime mentioned. “Well…  _ trying to,  _ anyway. Something tells me he’s not the kind of person to just conveniently slide into my messages and ask to hang out.” 

Chiaki chuckled a little—her laughter was light and airy. “You never know, Hajime. Anything can happen, especially when you least expect it.” 

Hajime laughed, too. “Right, right.” 

After Chiaki returned to her own work, Hajime was left alone with only his thoughts and his notes. 

_ What’s going on?  _

He should have been content with what he was able to learn about the case at the Devil’s Turnabout, so then… 

Why was something nagging him? Itching at the back of his mind like a mosquito bite he just couldn’t scratch. 

He’d been fighting down that sensation ever since it was first brought about: when he had received that anonymous text. 

_ It’s nothing. It’s nothing! I’m sure of it! _

But  _ was  _ he, really? 

Admittedly, no. No, he wasn’t sure. 

_ I should at least try focusing on what I have so far. Then, later, I can worry about things like _ —

_ DING!  _

Hajime froze. It was a text. 

Hands shaking, he pulled out his phone again. 

_ One new message. _

* * *

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: 89 east 42nd street.  _ _ Right before sunset.  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: You’ll know me when you see me. _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey, did you catch the Ace Attorney reference in here? Ah, speaking of which, I’d like to say that this fic is essentially just a Danganronpa-Ace Attorney mashup, in a way.   
> You also met Nekomaru, who is now the security manager of Hope’s Peak.   
> I hope you enjoyed the slight Oumasai! To be honest, I didn't intend to include any v3 characters here, but hey, it ended up happening anyway. I can only pray that I was able to pull it off well! (^_^;)


	3. Chapter 3: Tête-à-Tête

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime leaned against the fountain and tried to relax a little. 
> 
> _It’s not happening, huh?_   
>  _Maybe I’m just… too boring. Who would wanna walk right up to me and say—_
> 
> “Excuse me?” 

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: 89 east 42nd street.  _

_ UNKNOWN NUMBER: You’ll know me when you see me. _

* * *

Hajime stared at his phone, those two text messages burning themselves into his mind permanently. Those words were the only thing his pupils were focused on; the rest of his vision started to morph into muddy black swirls. 

_ What… why…  _

He felt the sudden urge to throw his phone across the room and leave it there forever. 

_ Is this person insane?!  _

_ Because…  _ He scratched his head, thousands of thoughts swimming around his mind.  _ What kind of person would want to meet up with a perfect stranger? Why would they want to meet up with me, and more importantly… _

_ Why would  _ **_I_ ** _ want to meet up with them?!  _

_ No matter how you look at this, it’s suspicious. Especially that whole ‘I’m not a murderer’ bit from before… there’s no way I’m taking up this offer!  _

“Hajime…? I think you should lay down for a little while, or something,” he heard Chiaki suggest. 

Hajime cleared his throat, trying his best to take a few deep breaths after his theatrical little episode—or, as Chiaki might call it: ‘protagonist moment.’ “T-Thanks, but I’m fine.”

Chiaki raised an eyebrow, seeing through the lie like it was glass. “I dunno about that. Something’s bothering you, I’m sure…” 

‘A bother.’ Yep, that’s gotta be the understatement of the century. 

_ Oh, well.  _ Hajime sighed and flipped his phone around so it was facing Chiaki.  _ It wouldn’t hurt to get this off my chest.  _ “You’re right. Here it is.” 

Chiaki squinted, his eyes quickly traveling down the screen and reading the conversation carefully. Finally, she reached the very last set of messages. 

“ _ 89 east 42nd street, _ ” Chiaki read aloud slowly. “Hajime, you do know what’s at that address, right?” 

_ What’s up with all these leading questions?  _

“N-No,” Hajime admitted. “Why? Is it important?”

“A little… so, somewhat?” Chiaki shrugged, making her answer even more open-ended. “You probably didn’t know, but eighty-nine east forty-second street is Grand Central Terminal.” 

Hajime felt the sudden urge to slam his palm into his own forehead. How did he not catch that one? Grand Central Terminal was a world-famous landmark built more than a century ago! 

Technically, in his defense, he had only moved to New York about a year ago, but that’s no excuse! 

_ Even tourists would probably be able to figure it out! _ _   
_ Hajime sighed. His brain was practically overheating; he could use the mental refresh. 

After his quick little break, Hajime found it easier to follow a more rational train of thought. 

_ This person is inviting me to Grand Central Terminal… why?  _

_ No matter what they said, I have a feeling this is some sort of murder plot!  _

_ Inviting me to an unfamiliar location shrouded under a veil of anonymity… it’s the perfect setup for a crime!  _

It wasn’t unusual for Hajime to draw these sorts of conclusions. After all, it was only in human nature to get suspicious of even the smallest things that could warrant such suspicion, and Hajime could confidently say that  _ whatever  _ was going on with this unknown number and this proposal was not small at all. 

_ Maybe it’s not murder,  _ Another voice in his head tried to reason, though none of those voices were being very reasonable at that moment.  _ Maybe… another crime? Like kidnapping?  _

The idea was shot down as soon as it surfaced. 

_ Nah. They’d need a ransom of some sort, and I don’t have a huge inheritance up my sleeve. The target’s off my back for anything relating to money, so…  _

The river of seemingly endless theories flowing in Hajime’s mind quickly ran dry. 

_ Then what does this person want from me? Obviously, in that case, they’ve got to have the wrong number! It’s the only possible— _

“Y’know, it’s not so bad of an idea,” Chiaki suddenly said, her voice sharply cutting through Hajime’s thoughts. 

And the very next thing to pop to mind was:

_ Is she crazy?!  _

So, Hajime decided to voice this opinion, though he did make sure to smooth out the pointy edges a little before saying anything.

“I can’t say I agree. I… I mean… I don’t know who they are, nor do I know what they want,” Hajime said, putting down a finger for every item in his list. “And there’s a chance I’m not even the intended recipient.” 

“But what if you are? There’s also a chance you’d be missing out on a lot,” Chiaki countered. “At the end, there’s only one way to find out.” 

_ She must just be trying to play the devil’s advocate here! Who cares about— _

**_Wait._ **

Yet another, much more contrarian part of Hajime’s mind rose above the rest, halting all other thoughts like an orator who managed to capture the attention of the entire audience. 

**_She’s not wrong. There’s a chance… could be fifty-fifty, could be more, could be less._ **

**_And…_ **

_ ‘There’s only one way to find out,’ huh?  _

Suddenly, the idea didn’t seem so absurd anymore. Obviously, it was still ridiculously reckless, but not to the point of being downright laughable. 

“Hajime?” 

Hajime blinked rapidly, once again being snapped out of his reverie. 

“It was a joke,” Chiaki admitted. Then, she lowered her voice to nearly a whisper before adding one more detail. “Kind of.” 

“W-What do you mean,  _ kind of?! _ ” Hajime sputtered, unaware that practically every other associate in the room was staring at him (with the only exception being Ludenberg, as usual.) 

“Hm, well, how do I say this…” Chiaki tapped her chin pensively, her gaze wandering to the white-spotted ceiling tiles. “In all the video games I’ve played, the main character’s usually confronted with a conflict like this. A conflict with a decision that  _ seems  _ obvious, but it’s really not as black-and-white as it seems once a little more thought is being put into it.” 

_ She’s comparing me to  _ **_a video game protagonist_ ** _? Again?  _

**_She’s not wrong._ **

“But it’s not a video game, Chiaki,” Hajime debated out of instinct rather than genuine concern. “I can’t just respawn.” 

“Yeah, that’s true. And you’re right, the world doesn’t work like that. So, in the end, the decision’s totally up to you. But… here’s my two cents anyway.” Chiaki held up her index finger, indicating she was about to speak again. “You’re so focused on the second-to-last message, you haven’t even paid the last one a second thought.” 

And, for the third time: 

**_She’s not wrong._ **

_ The last message.  _ Hajime took another look at the screen.  _ ‘You’ll know me when you see me.’  _

“Look. This ‘anonymous’ person doesn’t even intend to stay anonymous. While it isn’t a huge breakthrough, I think it might clear at least a little suspicion,” Chiaki deduced. “One more thing: the location. Grand Central is bustling, and that doesn’t change at sunset, either. In fact, you could argue that the occupancy multiplies when the nightlife starts to warm up.”

“...And?” 

“There will be plenty of people around. Don’t you think if this person wanted to  _ do  _ anything, they’d lure you to a more secluded place?”

**_She’s not wrong._ **

As Chiaki continued to talk, Hajime felt himself growing more and more accepting to the idea. She didn’t necessarily have extraordinary persuasive skills like a half-corrupt, fast-talking businessman; she simply used the facts presented to her and used logic to wield them into a powerful weapon. 

_ Maybe that’s the kind of stuff that makes a lawyer successful,  _ Hajime noted.  _ I should try taking a page from her book.  _

“You’re not wrong,” Hajime finally said, the repeated thought finally morphing into words that flowed from his mouth effortlessly. 

Chiaki nodded. “All  _ you  _ have to do is be careful.  _ Really _ careful.” 

Hajime raised an eyebrow. Weren’t they just backpedaling at this point? 

“What do you suggest then?” 

“First of all, an obvious one: don’t go anywhere outside of the public space with this person,” Chiaki stated, sounding a little more assertive than usual. 

“Easy enough,” Hajime replied. “Then?”

“Second: if anything  _ were  _ to happen, make sure to let people know.”

“So, will ‘stranger danger’ suffice?” Hajime asked jokingly. Most of Chiaki’s advice was common sense.

Chiaki shook her head. “You need to scream. As loud as possible, preferably, so someone can alert the authorities.” 

“Alright.”    
“And… if all else fails…” Chiaki crossed her arms over her chest and put on a threatening expression (though it looked more like a pout.) “Use self-defense. You can use pepper spray or borrow a taser gun from the security department.” 

_ Yikes.  _ Things were getting pretty serious, now. 

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Hajime assured. He was pretty certain he’d be able to use his little friendship (if you could even call it one) with Hagakure and Nidai to score a few useful tools from their shed. 

Then, the realization completely settled in. 

_ It’s official. I’m… actually going to do this.  _

Hajime didn’t know whether to be wary or excited or just downright terrified. His emotions were somewhat of a murky combination of all three. 

“Oh, hey, it’s almost 6:00,” Chiaki mentioned, her words being interrupted by small yawns. “I think I’ll start packing up now.” 

Hajime glanced at the clock, confirming that it was, indeed, the end of the workday. He was a little surprised.  _ Time flies, huh? But it’s not like I was having a ton of fun.  _

“Me too,” Hajime concurred. However, his words fell upon deaf ears as Chiaki had already collapsed in a small pile on her desk. He could practically  _ see  _ the  _ zzz _ s coming out from her mouth as she napped. 

His lips quirked upwards in a small smile as he gazed fondly at Chiaki.  _ Maybe greater minds just need more energy to operate.  _

Hajime didn’t necessarily  _ want  _ to leave Chiaki behind, and waking her up was impossible. Still, he had to. 

**_There’s somewhere I have to be._ **

Suddenly, the Maizono murder case popped back into mind. 

Oh, right, he resolved to meet with Komaeda to discuss the case after talking to Saihara at the Devil’s Turnabout earlier. 

**_Something I have to do._ **

“Hey, Ishimaru?” Hajime tapped the brunette on the shoulder, ultimately deciding that he was the most trustworthy person among the associates. “Do you mind making sure Nanami gets back safe?” 

Ishimaru nodded and swiftly brought his right hand to his eyebrow in a salute. “Yes, of course! I will certainly see to it!” 

Hajime gave him a thumbs up and began to make his exit. 

_ And, now…  _

**_Somebody I have to meet._ **

* * *

The time was 6:58 PM, and Hajime Hinata couldn’t be more anxious. 

_ The sun’s supposed to set soon… where are they?  _

He had headed directly to Grand Central after leaving Hope’s Peak, then reached his intended location at around 6:45. According to the weather app on his phone, the sun was going to set at 7:00. 

_ It’s already started, too,  _ Hajime noted as he stared out at the evening sky painted in hues of golden and pink. 

He huffed and crossed his arms. He’d never been the most patient guy in the world, but this anonymous person was  _ really  _ pushing it. 

The only somewhat good thing was the fact that Chiaki’s deduction had been correct: there were plenty of others surrounding him. They were all just as recluded as Hajime, which allowed him to relax a little. Many appeared to be waiting for someone, something… 

He sighed. 

_ So am I.  _

The taser gun Hajime had obtained from Hagakure (upon his own insistence) weighed down his right pocket. In his left pocket was his phone, which did not buzz or ring or give any other indication that someone was trying to contact him. 

But was he  _ waiting  _ for _ that _ ? 

He quickly denied it. 

_ Of course not... I’m just curious. That’s the reason I’m doing this in the first place.  _

_ The only reason.  _

A breeze blew by, though his hair was too short to be tousled by it with the exception of that one strand at the top of his head. 

_ Should I text? I mean, I never said I was going to be there… did they just decide to call it off? Are they never going to show up? _

If that was what would happen, Hajime would be very annoyed. 

_ I dragged my ass all the way out here. Something has to happen, right?  _

Sometimes, Hajime felt like his life was just too boring. Too uneventful. Nothing ever happened; nothing good, nothing bad. He was aware that there were some people who would gladly take his place; some people who lived lives that seemed like they came straight out of a drama serial. Getting hired at Hope’s Peak was an anomaly of sorts in his boring, average life. It was unexpected, yet one of the best things that had ever happened to him in a while. 

However… being assigned to the Komaeda case shortly after was anything but. 

Hajime felt a headache begin to bloom right above his forehead. God, he would never be able to get away from that case, would he? 

It was more like his mind wouldn’t  _ let  _ him get away from it, actually. 

_ Fair point. The client’s high-profile, the victim was high-profile—with details like these, the whole case is unforgettable.  _

_ The media’s going to go crazy about it if they haven’t already.  _

Hajime briefly wondered whether he should have downed a glass of liquor before coming to the terminal. It would have eased up his mind, that’s for sure. 

But, on the other hand, Chiaki would’ve probably had a heart attack upon realizing that Hajime wasn’t completely sober when he went to meet up with a possible criminal. 

Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. But there was no denying that she’d be more than just a little upset. 

Hajime’s eyes wandered to the tiny number at the very top of the screen. It read 7:03. 

His mouth formed a small ‘o.’ It appeared that his internal monologue had lasted a little longer than he’d expected. 

_ It’s already past seven, and nobody has approached me yet.  _

Hajime sighed for what felt like the millionth time that evening and got up from the hard metal bench he’d been sitting on. 

_ What a bust. I should just— _

**_Wait._ **

Hajime froze.  _ Back again, so soon?  _

**_What if it’s the other way around?_ **

**_What if you aren’t supposed to be waiting for them?_ **

**_What if they’re the one waiting for you?_ **

It was very difficult to believe. But, somehow, Hajime found himself believing it anyway. Despite being probably partially if not completely insane, this part of his conscience was just so sure of itself it was impossible to argue. 

_ They’re the one waiting for me… it’s not too far-fetched, really. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to look around a little.  _

Tentatively having made his decision, Hajime began to explore the rest of Grand Central Terminal beyond the quiet spot he had been occupying since arrival. 

His steps were slow and shaky. His knees felt like they would give out at any moment if he wasn’t careful. 

Meanwhile, his hand tightened around the taser gun sitting snugly in his pocket. He knew that the chances of him actually needing to use it would be slim. Besides, why would violence be his go-to when all he needed to do if the stranger was dangerous was just scream? 

Essentially, the taser was a last resort. Chiaki had made that very clear, and Hajime thoroughly understood. 

As he rounded the corner near the giant marble fountain, (seriously, a  _ fountain?! _ ) another thought popped to mind. Or, another  _ worry,  _ to be more accurate. 

_ How will I know if it’s them? How will they know if it’s me?  _

_ ‘You’ll know me when you see me…’  _

Hajime glared at the floor, both his palms clenched into tight fists. 

_ Total bullshit! How am I supposed to know, huh? Is there just gonna be some lit-up sign right above their head to tip me off?  _

If Hajime  _ was  _ the protagonist like Chiaki thought, he was the protagonist of a pretty crappy story. 

Another burst of negativity rushed through his veins, making his entire body deflate like some sort of fleshy balloon. 

Hajime leaned against the fountain and tried to relax a little. 

_ It’s not happening, huh?  _

_ Maybe I’m just… too boring. Who would wanna walk right up to me and say— _

“Excuse me?” 

Hajime's chin snapped upwards immediately at the sudden, unfamiliar voice. He took a few seconds to examine who exactly it belonged to, and… 

_ What…?  _

This person… probably male, but that was going off of their voice and their voice alone… their hair was literally  _ white.  _ Somehow it looked like it didn’t even belong to a living person. Nevertheless, this particular person was definitely alive. 

And they were talking to him. 

“H-Hello?” Hajime managed to stutter. He tried to make eye contact with the other but ended up getting lost in their cloudy (almost hazy) green eyes. Wait _ —were  _ they even green? Well, in this particular lighting they looked more grayish, but Hajime supposed their hue would shift towards the cooler end of the color spectrum once the sunlight hit, and—

God, why was he putting so much thought into this?! 

The stranger smiled sincerely, the corners of his eyes crinkling upwards as proof. “I’m so glad you could come.” 

Hajime’s entire body froze. His bones, muscles, heart— _ everything.  _

_ This can only mean one thing.  _

“It’s…” Hajime glanced from the text conversation displayed on his phone to the smiling stranger, his eyes as wide as saucers. “You…?”

“Depends. But if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, then…” The stranger chuckled breathily and nodded. “Yes, yes it is me.” 

_ The entire time… ‘unknown number’ was…  _

Hajime took another look at the person in front of him, still in a state of half-disbelief. 

_ This guy?  _

“H-Hey, quit being so cryptic,” Hajime said, though it sounded a little too meek to pass off as a fearful demand. “You’re the one who’s been texting me, right? It’s been driving me crazy this entire day, so the least you could do is just tell me your name.” Whoops. Did that sound too personal? “And what you want from me.” 

The stranger hummed to himself, his gaze faraway. “I wouldn’t say that. It’s really more of something  _ you  _ want from  _ me _ ,” he said. “That’s a weird question, anyway. You  _ do  _ have business with me, don’t you?” 

Hajime raised an eyebrow. 

_ Something  _ **_I_ ** _ want? What could I possibly want with this person?  _

_ And… ‘business?’ It’s like he’s being super vague on purpose.  _

_ You know what, scratch that. That’s probably exactly what he’s doing.  _

“Look, I just don’t know,” Hajime admitted. “I  _ wouldn’t  _ know, because I don’t even know who you are.” 

The stranger suddenly grew very upset, but not with Hajime… with himself. His lips were now downturned in a tight frown, a drastic change from his previous demeanor. “Oh my… that was quite rude of me, wasn’t it?” He clasped both hands behind his back and tilted his head at a slight angle. “My name’s Nagito Komaeda. Nice to meet you.” 

There were multiple things throwing Hajime for a loop in this situation. Firstly, the fact that this person didn’t extend his right hand as one would typically do when they introduced themselves. Secondly, the fact that this person was Nagito Komaeda. Yes,  _ that  _ Nagito Komaeda. 

_ This is no coincidence.  _

“You look surprised,” Komaeda pointed out. “Why, I wonder.” 

“Yeah, what a mystery!” Hajime shot back sarcastically. “You texting me through an anonymous number, telling me to come here, then revealing that you’re actually my client… I could’ve easily seen it coming!” 

“Hm. Fair point,” Komaeda remarked. “Though, overlooking that little lapse of yours, you’re quite quick-witted, Mr…” 

“Hinata. Hajime Hinata,” he interjected begrudgingly. After all, the least he could do as Komaeda’s attorney was to introduce himself. 

Then, Hajime took a moment to consider all that had been said so far. 

_ Quick-witted? What makes him say that?  _

“You see, I truly respect those who help such... hopeless people,” Komaeda explained, his voice light and full of an odd form of veneration. “People at their lowest point… people balancing on the brink of everything and nothing…” 

Hajime felt sweat begin to form on his forehead. 

Komaeda didn’t seem or look like an ordinary guy, to begin with, but hearing him ramble about  _ whatever  _ he was rambling about further pressed that idea. 

“People that trust nobody, people that nobody trust… hey, Hajime?” 

_ First-name-basis already, huh?  _

“Y-Yes?”

“Say, do  _ you  _ trust me?” 

At this point, the two were mere inches apart. From where he was standing, Hajime was able to examine every little detail of Komaeda’s face easily. 

Those murky blue-green-gray eyes bore into Hajime’s olive-colored ones, grabbing his attention and not letting go. 

_ Do I trust him?  _

The question repeated itself over and over and over again in his echo chamber of a mind. Despite all this, he couldn’t seem to find an answer. 

“Well… I…” Unfortunately, opening his mouth would not help with his mental buffering. So, Hajime decided to use a cheaper tactic to stall for time. “What about you?” 

“Without a doubt,” Komaeda responded instantly, like he didn’t even have to pay it a second thought. “You’re with Hope’s Peak, and that’s more than enough for me.” 

Hajime chuckled nervously and scratched his head. “...you really admire that place, don’t you?”

“Of course!” Komaeda confirmed, ever enthusiastic. “Hope… it’s in the name, isn’t it?” 

Initially, Komaeda’s dramatic monologue sort of weirded him out. That weirdness didn’t change, no, but Hajime found himself quite flattered by the praise now that it was directed towards him… in a way. 

_ Really, though. He only trusts me because I work for Hope’s Peak?  _

He sighed. At any rate, the time he bought from bouncing the question back to Komaeda was running out. 

“Look… we’re going to have to cooperate to win this trial, and cooperation requires trust,” Hajime explained, recalling what he had learned in law school. “So… yes, I do trust you.” 

Was that a lie? No. It was more of a half-truth, really, because Hajime just didn’t know. 

_ It would be nice to say that I could wholeheartedly trust Komaeda, but in all honesty…  _

_ It’s all just up in the air.. for now.  _

_ Besides, even if it was a lie, if whatever I’m saying will make Komaeda trust **me** more, it’ll work out fine.  _

Judging by Komaeda’s immediate reaction to that statement, Hajime could guess that he was more than just satisfied with it. 

“Wow! This is… this is incredible!” Komaeda exclaimed, his eyes practically sparkling and his grin wide to the point of being comical. He clutched at his own shoulders and directed an almost manic-looking stare to the floor. “Someone like you trusting someone like me… and I thought it was impossible!” 

Hajime took a few steps back, forming some more distance between them. He bit his lip and watched as Komaeda continued to do… whatever he was doing. 

_ Well, he’s certainly enjoying this. Maybe a little too much.  _

“Komaeda, while I… appreciate the compliment, there’s no reason to idolize me like that. I mean… I’m really just a normal person like you.”

Haha. ‘Normal’ wasn’t exactly the best choice of words to describe Komaeda, but Hajime paid that detail no regard. 

Komaeda shook his head vigorously, rejecting Hajime’s claim completely. “That’s wrong! There’s no way I could compare to you! You’re determined and intelligent and…” He lifted one finger, quite literally pointing out another thing. “Ah! So humble, too!” 

_ Okay. This is getting out of hand.  _

“Seriously, I’m just trying to do my job here,” Hajime insisted, giving up on deflecting the acclaim as Komaeda would probably just generate more of it. “You’re being suspected of  _ murder,  _ Komaeda. It doesn’t take a genius to know that basically everyone thinks you’re the culprit, so if you could just work with me, we can both prove them wrong.” 

_ Wow.  _ Hajime didn’t really have that inspirational speech planned out, but once the first few words spilled out of his mouth, they wouldn’t stop. 

Meanwhile, Komaeda appeared starstruck. By just looking at him, one would’ve guessed that he just witnessed a breathtaking miracle rather than the semi-confident, impromptu pep-talk that was actually delivered. 

“Certainly!” Komaeda accepted eagerly. “It’s truly an honor!”

Hajime breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn’t so hard, right? Maybe they’d have to work on that inferiority complex of his, but there were more pressing matters at hand. I.e, the Maizono murder case. 

“Alright, then. Let’s seal the deal.” Hajime extended his right hand in a smooth way that had probably already been trademarked by some sleazy European businessman in an attempt to solidify their agreement with a handshake. 

Komaeda did not do the same. Instead, he just stood there and stared at Hajime’s hand and then his own pale one.

“Haha… it's funny,” Komaeda drawled, his voice unnaturally dropping several octaves. “I wonder if you’d still want to shake my hand if you knew it belonged to a murderer.” 

And with that, Hajime Hinata knew he was screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and gentlemen, you have just witnessed our favorite crazy hope man obsess over Mr. Hajimeme for several paragraphs straight. (Okay, maybe ‘straight’ isn’t the right word to use here.) I thought the whole “Nagito fanboying over Hope’s Peak” would transfer into something similar in this AU, and that’s how I ended up with this. To be completely honest, I'm really scared that I messed up the characterization, so if you have any commentary/critique please feel free to leave it in the comments :)
> 
> Another fear of mine: I'll end up spending my entire life on this fic only for it to fizzle out and get no traffic past chapter five TwT 
> 
> Fun fact, by the way: Grand Central Terminal is actually at that address. And, yes, they do have a fountain in there. Extravagant, isn't it? Welcome to New York, I guess. 
> 
> Finally, I really do _hope_ you enjoyed this chapter. Until we meet again!


End file.
